80-90 Empire Avenue
The City's Affordable Housing Strategy, outlines a commitment to identify city-owned vacant land for potential redevelopment as affordable housing.
Four parcels of land have been expropriated and identified for potential redevelopment as affordable housing to date. These include 245 Forest Road, 80-90 Empire Avenue, 375 Waterford Bridge Road, and 28 Eric Street. A project is already planned for 28 Eric Street. There are currently no planned projects for the other three sites. Council has not approved developing these sites. They have only approved doing engagement about the potential redevelopment of these sites. We would like to engage with residents, businesses, and other stakeholders about these parcels of land.
This page is for comments and feedback about 80-90 Empire Avenue. Use the tools below to provide your feedback or sign up for our virtual meeting (check out the key dates for details).
The City's Affordable Housing Strategy, outlines a commitment to identify city-owned vacant land for potential redevelopment as affordable housing.
Four parcels of land have been expropriated and identified for potential redevelopment as affordable housing to date. These include 245 Forest Road, 80-90 Empire Avenue, 375 Waterford Bridge Road, and 28 Eric Street. A project is already planned for 28 Eric Street. There are currently no planned projects for the other three sites. Council has not approved developing these sites. They have only approved doing engagement about the potential redevelopment of these sites. We would like to engage with residents, businesses, and other stakeholders about these parcels of land.
This page is for comments and feedback about 80-90 Empire Avenue. Use the tools below to provide your feedback or sign up for our virtual meeting (check out the key dates for details).
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Share What are your concerns about a potential development on this site? on Facebook Share What are your concerns about a potential development on this site? on Twitter Share What are your concerns about a potential development on this site? on Linkedin Email What are your concerns about a potential development on this site? link
What are your concerns about a potential development on this site?
over 2 years agoCLOSED: This ideas has concluded.How can the City address these concerns?
bradrover 2 years agoKeep green space or consider selling lots and reinvesting funds
This land sits on a park. Similar to the Forest Road property, I am not sure why you are considering converting remaining green spaces and prime land into affordable housing. If you are stuck on using this land, why not sell some of these lots as one lot could probably pay for a house and land in a more affordable area. The city continues to fill in remaining prime green spaces with higher density residential housing. Further as a tax payer who has struggled to rent/purchase a home in this city in the past and who has had to compromise like many other renters and homeowners (I could not even consider a park location purchase when lookin), it makes me a little jealous/angry that the city continues to squeeze more "affordable" houses in these prime locations in order to assist a small number of residents. The city also needs to get a little denser. Why we keep sprawling in to new areas like Galway with the same population is mind-boggling to me. Why not consider building a high density affordable condo building in a less park like spaces like Pleasantville (or Galway if we need to support this sprawling infrastructure) . Further as another commenter pointed out, there seems to be more of a need for smaller family accomodations anyway so 1 to 2 bedroom condos may be more useful.
0 comment3allangouldingover 2 years agoKelly's Brook Trail
The outlined area is larger than necessary. In particular, the north side is a steep and wooded slope bordering the Kelly's Brook trail. I think that the existing slope should remain undisturbed and that any development should be confined to the level area of the existing gravel parking lot.
2 comments0mariaandreeover 2 years agoWould love to see affordable housing. A great place to make the neighborhood more diverse and increase opportunities for equity
0 comment9TLRover 2 years agoI support creating affordable housing on the land provided the path access from Empire Avenue into the valley is preserved in the design.
This is a good location with walking access to MUN, Downtown, Churchill Square, and green spaces.
0 comment10long time residentover 2 years ago4. Homes on Poplar Ave across the lane/trail are as high as $700,00 if not more. Other homes would fall in the $300,000 range.
1 comment3 -
Share If this were developed as affordable housing, what type(s) of housing do you think would work best here? on Facebook Share If this were developed as affordable housing, what type(s) of housing do you think would work best here? on Twitter Share If this were developed as affordable housing, what type(s) of housing do you think would work best here? on Linkedin Email If this were developed as affordable housing, what type(s) of housing do you think would work best here? link
If this were developed as affordable housing, what type(s) of housing do you think would work best here?
over 2 years agoCLOSED: This ideas has concluded.What type of structure would you prefer? Apartment building, row houses, duplexes, etc.? How many storeys? Modular housing vs site built? Other considerations?
MHollettover 2 years agoSeize advantage of street level lot
So much affordable housing in St John's is at the top of a hill (think: housing units in Shea Heights) or potentially a basement apartment (think: down some stairs to enter). It would be great if these units could keep accessibility in mind. If the lot is a good size for this, can we make these units accessible / without stairs? There's so few units in the city that meet this need
0 comment3aeover 2 years agoApartments.
We have a high demand and low vacancy for small apartments for one or two people. This needs to be addressed. A few small, low rise apartments would fit in the gravel space while preserving the green space and trail.
0 comment2BESover 2 years agoMixture of units to suit different people.
0 comment2allangouldingover 2 years agoTiny Homes
If confined to the existing gravel lot, it would be an ideal location to be zoned for tiny homes. These could be built on a concrete slab base with a small footprint (typically under 500 square feet) and could still allow for off-street parking for each unit. Tiny homes would fill a missing market niche in St. John's. They are affordable and designed to be energy efficient. The living space is not dissimilar to existing high demand condo units in the area such as Allandale Place and Linden Court, so the size would not be a deterrent to finding occupants.
0 comment0BuildItBetterover 2 years agoOne-bedroom and accessible units
As far as I know the big shortage in the city is of these kind of smaller units and accessible ones - it would be great if this maxed out accessibility
0 comment1 -
Share If this were developed as affordable housing, what would you like to see incorporated into the design? on Facebook Share If this were developed as affordable housing, what would you like to see incorporated into the design? on Twitter Share If this were developed as affordable housing, what would you like to see incorporated into the design? on Linkedin Email If this were developed as affordable housing, what would you like to see incorporated into the design? link
If this were developed as affordable housing, what would you like to see incorporated into the design?
over 2 years agoCLOSED: This ideas has concluded.Are there any new technologies you'd like to see incorporated? Would you like to see mixed-use spaces included such as retail or community space? What additional features should be considered?
aeover 2 years agoEducation for the wealthy neighbours about the benefits of socialism.
0 comment1yimbyytover 2 years agoIntegration with Kelly's Brook Path and reduced parking minimums.
I live just down the street from this site and I support this development. I would like to see the development integrated with/connected to Kelly's Brook Path. I would like to see a thorough review of parking requirements with a possible exemption from parking minimums to allow for more green space and shared social space.
0 comment3BuildItBetterover 2 years agoBuild it around active transportation
This will be right on a key cycling route for the city - that should be embraced with good options for cycle parking and storage, access direct to the trail, ideally a bike share or similar.
0 comment2mjphilpottover 2 years agoEnergy efficiency
New units should be energy efficient to ensure they are affordable to live in. Where it is a cohesive, open site a shared geothermal system might be cost-effective.
0 comment2aeover 2 years agoTrees.
0 comment0 -
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Other ideas or comments?
over 2 years agoCLOSED: This ideas has concluded.If you have other ideas or comments that do not fit into the other categories, please add them here.
Coleen10over 2 years agoIncorporate a community garden
Folks living in affordable housing want to be part of the community. Everyone engaging through gardening builds community and lets people share experience and also grows food!
0 comment1Tobiasover 2 years agoWhy not use more of the housing available on Empire Avenue behind hoyles ave
0 comment0blitzover 2 years agoOther uses for the spot
This could be better utilized either as a 50+ living or even as a large community garden for all of Georgetown .
0 comment0kmorryover 2 years agoBuild units for small households
There's lots of demand for units for small households of 1-2 people. I hope the city builds as many comfortable units for such households as possible on this site. It's a great location for people to access transit and jobs.
0 comment6
Life Cycle
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Open
80-90 Empire Avenue has finished this stageThis consultation is open for contributions.
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Under Review
80-90 Empire Avenue has finished this stageContributions to this consultation are closed for evaluation and review. The project team will report back on key outcomes.
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What we Heard Released
80-90 Empire Avenue is currently at this stageA summary of what was heard will be discussed at Committee of the Whole on December 1, 2021. Check it out here.
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Final report
this is an upcoming stage for 80-90 Empire AvenueThe final outcomes of the consultation are documented here. This may include a summary of all contributions collected as well as recommendations for future action.
Who's Listening
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Affordable Housing and Development Facilitator
Phone (709) 570-2096 Email affordablehousing@stjohns.ca -
Council Lead - Housing
Phone 576-8584 Email rellsworth@stjohns.ca